Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Dec 6, 2016
Hi Ann, welcome to Connect. I'm tagging @danielnavarrete365 and @pammiegapeach who have talked about about vasovagal syncope on Connect quite some time ago. They may be able to share personal experiences with you.
In the meantime, here is some further reading from Mayo Clinic
- Vasovagal syncope http://mayocl.in/1WrBzH8
The section on causes states: "Vasovagal syncope occurs when the part of your nervous system that regulates heart rate and blood pressure malfunctions in response to a trigger, such as the sight of blood. Your heart rate slows, and the blood vessels in your legs widen (dilate.) This allows blood to pool in your legs, which lowers your blood pressure. Combined, the drop in blood pressure and slowed heart rate quickly reduce blood flow to your brain, and you faint."
Standing for long periods can be trigger. Does your husband have to stand a lot for his work?
This happens to me and also my 15-year-old daughter, and I wonder if it's genetic because it started with her when she was only four-years-old, and she didn't know that it happens to me. She is triggered more easily than me; she daughter can't even read a book about someone getting cut without it happening. For me, it's only happened due to my own medical treatment. I get hot and start sweating, and then turn cold but am still covered with sweat. I've never passed out but have come close. I always have to lay down, though.
Hi Ann, welcome to Connect. I'm tagging @danielnavarrete365 and @pammiegapeach who have talked about about vasovagal syncope on Connect quite some time ago. They may be able to share personal experiences with you.
In the meantime, here is some further reading from Mayo Clinic
- Vasovagal syncope http://mayocl.in/1WrBzH8
The section on causes states: "Vasovagal syncope occurs when the part of your nervous system that regulates heart rate and blood pressure malfunctions in response to a trigger, such as the sight of blood. Your heart rate slows, and the blood vessels in your legs widen (dilate.) This allows blood to pool in your legs, which lowers your blood pressure. Combined, the drop in blood pressure and slowed heart rate quickly reduce blood flow to your brain, and you faint."
Standing for long periods can be trigger. Does your husband have to stand a lot for his work?
Yes he does stand for long periods of time. He says when he sits for 1/2 or more after he starts working for a few minutes is when his triggers. Then he feels bad for the rest of that day and the the next.
This happens to me and also my 15-year-old daughter, and I wonder if it's genetic because it started with her when she was only four-years-old, and she didn't know that it happens to me. She is triggered more easily than me; she daughter can't even read a book about someone getting cut without it happening. For me, it's only happened due to my own medical treatment. I get hot and start sweating, and then turn cold but am still covered with sweat. I've never passed out but have come close. I always have to lay down, though.
My husbands trigger is after he's been sitting for a while when he gets up and starts to work then it can happen. And then the next day he feels terrible
Interesting because it's happening with different than the usual triggers, and the fact that he can't recover from it quickly makes it sound as if there's more going on. Has he seen a cardiologist or nephrologist?
Today we went to his neurologist that looked at the test and he believes it's his veins are not contracting and up so he's putting him on a medicine. Them he will go for a three hour lab on his sugar and doing some other bloodwork and sending him to another doctor I don't exactly know what he called him but he does have a cardiologist and he does have a linq in his heart so they are monitoring that so we wait for this Blood test to be done. His heart rate never changed when they did the tilt table test.
I was diagnosed with vasogal syncope many years ago by a cadiologist who happened to be a big authority on fainting. I get it from anything that stresses my body. Caffiene, exercising, dangerous situations. I did a tilt table study where they gave me a drug that stimulated a caffiene and my blood pressure plummeted and heart rate too. I was told by the doctor that vasogal meant the veins were not doing their job pushing the blood through. Two things I have found out have helped: do not rise quickly from a sitting position, and if feeling faint you need to breathe deeply and slowly. When you feel faint you tend to get nervous and hyperventilate, so slowing down your breathing can help and deep breathes get in more oxygen into your lungs. I have small veins so that may contribute to it. Following my rules and avoiding stimulants has made me free of fainting for many years. Vasogal syncope is a general diagnosis so it can have many different causes.
I was diagnosed with vasogal syncope many years ago by a cadiologist who happened to be a big authority on fainting. I get it from anything that stresses my body. Caffiene, exercising, dangerous situations. I did a tilt table study where they gave me a drug that stimulated a caffiene and my blood pressure plummeted and heart rate too. I was told by the doctor that vasogal meant the veins were not doing their job pushing the blood through. Two things I have found out have helped: do not rise quickly from a sitting position, and if feeling faint you need to breathe deeply and slowly. When you feel faint you tend to get nervous and hyperventilate, so slowing down your breathing can help and deep breathes get in more oxygen into your lungs. I have small veins so that may contribute to it. Following my rules and avoiding stimulants has made me free of fainting for many years. Vasogal syncope is a general diagnosis so it can have many different causes.
My vasovagal syncope is triggered by dehydration. The first time maybe 30 years ago in my 50s was when I had norovirus and was throwing up both ends. I stood up in the bathroom to wash my face after throwing up and the next I knew I was on my back in the shower opening which was 90 degrees from where I was at the basin (odd). The next time a few years later again a stomach virus and I went downstairs to the kitchen to get some water and ended up on my back in the dining room. The last time recently I was in the kitchen getting dessert one evening and my husband who wondered why it was taking so long found me flat on my back again. All I can remember is seeing my lunch glass of water still full on the kitchen counter so again dehydration I think. In none of these cases have I had any premonition. This last time because I am now in my 80s I went to the ER and after doing all kinds of tests (scans included) agreed with my diagnosis of a vasovagal syncope.
Connect
Connect
Like
Helpful
Hug
Hi Ann, welcome to Connect. I'm tagging @danielnavarrete365 and @pammiegapeach who have talked about about vasovagal syncope on Connect quite some time ago. They may be able to share personal experiences with you.
In the meantime, here is some further reading from Mayo Clinic
- Vasovagal syncope http://mayocl.in/1WrBzH8
The section on causes states: "Vasovagal syncope occurs when the part of your nervous system that regulates heart rate and blood pressure malfunctions in response to a trigger, such as the sight of blood. Your heart rate slows, and the blood vessels in your legs widen (dilate.) This allows blood to pool in your legs, which lowers your blood pressure. Combined, the drop in blood pressure and slowed heart rate quickly reduce blood flow to your brain, and you faint."
Standing for long periods can be trigger. Does your husband have to stand a lot for his work?
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionThis happens to me and also my 15-year-old daughter, and I wonder if it's genetic because it started with her when she was only four-years-old, and she didn't know that it happens to me. She is triggered more easily than me; she daughter can't even read a book about someone getting cut without it happening. For me, it's only happened due to my own medical treatment. I get hot and start sweating, and then turn cold but am still covered with sweat. I've never passed out but have come close. I always have to lay down, though.
@annbainbridge what triggers your husband?
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionYes he does stand for long periods of time. He says when he sits for 1/2 or more after he starts working for a few minutes is when his triggers. Then he feels bad for the rest of that day and the the next.
My husbands trigger is after he's been sitting for a while when he gets up and starts to work then it can happen. And then the next day he feels terrible
Interesting because it's happening with different than the usual triggers, and the fact that he can't recover from it quickly makes it sound as if there's more going on. Has he seen a cardiologist or nephrologist?
Today we went to his neurologist that looked at the test and he believes it's his veins are not contracting and up so he's putting him on a medicine. Them he will go for a three hour lab on his sugar and doing some other bloodwork and sending him to another doctor I don't exactly know what he called him but he does have a cardiologist and he does have a linq in his heart so they are monitoring that so we wait for this Blood test to be done. His heart rate never changed when they did the tilt table test.
I was diagnosed with vasogal syncope many years ago by a cadiologist who happened to be a big authority on fainting. I get it from anything that stresses my body. Caffiene, exercising, dangerous situations. I did a tilt table study where they gave me a drug that stimulated a caffiene and my blood pressure plummeted and heart rate too. I was told by the doctor that vasogal meant the veins were not doing their job pushing the blood through. Two things I have found out have helped: do not rise quickly from a sitting position, and if feeling faint you need to breathe deeply and slowly. When you feel faint you tend to get nervous and hyperventilate, so slowing down your breathing can help and deep breathes get in more oxygen into your lungs. I have small veins so that may contribute to it. Following my rules and avoiding stimulants has made me free of fainting for many years. Vasogal syncope is a general diagnosis so it can have many different causes.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
2 ReactionsIt sounds like you have your all figured out. I hope my husband can get to that point. Thank you for your helpful information.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionMy vasovagal syncope is triggered by dehydration. The first time maybe 30 years ago in my 50s was when I had norovirus and was throwing up both ends. I stood up in the bathroom to wash my face after throwing up and the next I knew I was on my back in the shower opening which was 90 degrees from where I was at the basin (odd). The next time a few years later again a stomach virus and I went downstairs to the kitchen to get some water and ended up on my back in the dining room. The last time recently I was in the kitchen getting dessert one evening and my husband who wondered why it was taking so long found me flat on my back again. All I can remember is seeing my lunch glass of water still full on the kitchen counter so again dehydration I think. In none of these cases have I had any premonition. This last time because I am now in my 80s I went to the ER and after doing all kinds of tests (scans included) agreed with my diagnosis of a vasovagal syncope.
Perhaps try big belly breaths to activate the vagus nerve?